harriscreekwatershed

Historic Canton: Opportunity to make a difference

2011-09-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

Historic Canton: Opportunity to make a difference: The First part of Wisdom is need to call a spade a spade. Going along with something that is not right eventually will draw you into an unco...

Historic Canton: Opportunity to make a difference

2011-09-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

Historic Canton: Opportunity to make a difference: The First part of Wisdom is need to call a spade a spade. Going along with something that is not right eventually will draw you into an unco...

Final Powerpoint Presentation on the Project

2011-01-31T19:40:00.000-08:00

http://fb.me/uMAksnIv

Results of the Major Trash Sweep are located here. Click to get started Ray Bahr MD

Why the City of Baltimore needs to come up with 5000 Trash Cans for the Harris Creek Watershed Residents!

2010-10-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed (246) Stormwater Plan has now been completed and is waiting the final comment period before seeking Funds to carry out many of the Stormwater Projects identified in the Plan. To develop Success in this Plan,the Community of 17 Neighvborhoods will need to become more involved. This will never be accomplished until there is a Major Cultural Change needed to bring the City of Baltimore and the Residents of the 246 Watershed more together. Input from the Residents indicated that their Number One Concern was the Trash Issue......Trash that was allowed to build up (over many months and possibly years) in the Backyards of the many Vacant Houses in the Watershed Area. This also extended to the many Vacant Lots in the Watershed. Trash Collection that did tahe place at times took on a subculture of its own with the residents being told to place their Trash Bags at the ends of the Alleys to allow the City to pick them up at this location. What's wrong here?   Trash Bags are illegal in the City and are easily broken into by Rats that create Health Problems.

Recently,The Harris Creek Watershed Group was able to convince the City to do a Major Trash Sweep in the Watershed. What was discovered was astonishing to those of us who toured the Back Alleys to find Trash that obliviously was neglected for months. It was not hard to find. It raised the Question of Baltimore being made up of two Cities.....one that got needed Services .....and one that got less Services. Why is this so Important?    One reason is that with this Major Trash Sweep,we were able to see a significant reduction of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor at its Outlet on Boston Street in Canton......and dropping the hint that if we Clean Up our Strrets in Baltimore in this Watershed....and extend this logic to the other 25 Outlets into the Baltimore Harbor,we may one day soon see a Cleaner and Safer Baltimore Inner Harbor.

The second reason has to do with Fairness and Justice.....and how we can use this to our advantage. With this Major Trash Sweep,we were able to buy about 500 Tash Cans to replace some of the Trash being put out in Trash Bags..........We think that we can get Citizens (residents) to do more if we can get more Trash Cans (5000 or more). Sure,we can continue to criticize and blame,but here is a chance to perhaps change what has been going wrong in the past....and get off to a fresh start. We think that the City owes this to the residents of the Watershed for their performance in the past that helped to create many of these mini-landfills in the Backyards.

       We can be Silent no longer.   We need to speak up   This is a Fairness Issue that can be turned around . We can create a better Community by promoting Justice.    Raymond D.Bahr MD

Action Steps for the Harris Creek Watershed Project

2010-10-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

The Community and Watershed Plan is out for a 30 day Comment Period. Meanwhile,we need not be collecting dust under our feet,but become fully engaged in building Community that will sustain the Watershed Efforts. In the graphic cartoon depicting the Journey that we took to successfullly develop the Watershed Plan,we listed "Cleaning" first.....followed by "Greening" as the way to develop a strong Community. As one observor once stated,"you build Community by promoting fairness and justice".....and this is what we intend to do. We will start with (1) "Cleaning".....and continue our Efforts to rid the Backyards and Alleys of Trash by a constant bombardment of DPW 311 line reporting SRs or Service Reports (they have two weeks to clean these sites up)......(2).We will get rid of the Trash Bags in the 246 Watershed and replace them with metal Trash Cans. It is incredible that we have let City Services allow Trash to be placed in plastic Bags at the front of the Alleys to be picked up by DPW workers. This underground subculture way of dealing with Trash in this way needs to stop. The continued damage that comes with Bags of Trash easily being broken into and serving as a food source for RATS and the Health Problems associated with this activity can no longer be tolerated. It is a Preventable Problem and our Mayor and City Council Members need to be part of this Solution. Placing Trash in Trash Bags can best be stopped by providing metal and durable Trash Cans. We are asking for 5000 Trash Cans that freely be made available to residents in the 246 Watershed . The cost here is very cheap ($14 each) when contrasted with the Benefit that it will bring.....(3) We will be requesting an Opportunity to sit down with Director Al Foxx,the New DPW Director to discuss New Ways to take care of Trash Pickup in the 246 Watershed. Presidents of at least three Neighborhood Associations have requested a Change in Trask Pickup and would like to see Front of the House Trash Pickup......this way,they can see who is putting out the Trash the right way.....and try to influence those doing it the wrong way (ex.Trash Bags).......This would be a Great Way to get Community Members policing their own Neighborhoods. We hear always the Criticism that the Residents need to step to the plate and do more. Well,here is an inexpensive way to get the Ball Rolling....by providing Free Trash Cans.....and listening to New Ways to do a Better Cleanup Operation.

As we continue the Cleaning Phase,we can start to promote more Greening Activities and give Pride to the Community of 17 Neighborhoods by providing City Farms,places to have Events to engage the Youth,Faith based activities etc. Part of the Watershed Plan will be to eventually hire a Community Director to oversee many of these Activities. Some of this is unclear at the present time,but what is Important is that the Development of the Harris Creek Watershed Plan is about to unfold as the Funding Opportunities become available under the Newly Formed Watershed Alliance.

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD

What's next for the Harris Creek Watershed Project? September 26,2010

2010-09-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

   The Project that the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association took up nearly two years ago has been completed. Final Changes will take place shortly and be incorporated in the Draft that will be available early this week both on the BHWA Web Site (http://www.baltimorewaters.org/) as well as sent out to all the people who took part in developing this Community Stormwater Plan.

Along the Way (Journey Page),we discovered that Baltimore City Services (DPW) needed to enhance their Services to Clean Up Trash that had been building over a long period of time in the Backyards of Vacant Houses,on the large number of Vacant Lots and in the Alleys where Trash Trucks could not get through. To understand this Problem better,to the Credit of the Department of Public Works Solid Waste and Code Enforcement Housing,a Plan was designed to get at this accumulated Trash Dumping by targeting an area in the middle of the Harris Creek (246) Watershed to undergo a Major Trash Sweep. It was from Fayette St (south) to Eager St (North) and Streeper St (East) to Duncan St (West) where 4000 Houses/Homes were located. Leaders in the Community first informed citizens that a Major Trash Sweep was about to take place and that all illegal practices would be in violation. Citizens were being asked to call in (311) all Trash Problems as a Way to Clean Up their Neighborhoods. In addition,approximately 500 galvanized Trash Cans were pruchased and given out Free to some residents. This is all we could do.We did not have the Funds to purchase the 5000 Trash Cans that we needed. Why are they needed? Because,well over 70% of the Trash that is put out comes in Trash Bags which are all over these Neighborhoods.....all of this illegal and needs to be addressed. In many cases,residents are encouraged to place their Trash Bags at the ends of the Alleys so that the Trucks can easily pick them up. To make a long story short,more that 100 Service Reports (SRs) on accumulated Trash Dumpings were entered into the 311 Call System over this 10 week period from June 14 to August 31,2010.

When a Visitor from outside Baltimore comes up to you NOW and ask the proverbial Question,Where does all of this Trash in the Baltimore Harbor come from and where do we strart to Clean it up? You can tell them that it comes from upstream Trash Dumpings that have been allowed to pile up without Action Steps from Citizens as well as Baltimore City Services. Yes,it probably is more Complex than that. There are a Huge number of Vacant Houses that provide Dumping Spots in their Backyards....and go unnoticed and neglected....poverty stricken areas have many more other problems....and you have to pick your poison to complain about....left too long,Trash Problems seem insurrmountable...and soon only a few complain. Many of these Houses are owned by the Mayor and City Council,others by HUD,and others by absent Landlords....and as you can see,this is another Major City Problem which demands Action Steps. As the Saying goes,"Poor People get Dumped Upon" and often little address to their Problems. What is to be seen by all is that these are unfair practices....and unjust...and calling these as such is the First Step to doing something about them.

Perhaps the Most Important Finding is the Fact that we are seeing a significant Reduction in Trash being delivered to the Harris Creek Watershed Outflow Drain on Boston St in Canton. Previous to this Trash Sweep,we were seeing between 3-5 Tons of Trash each month. NOW,we are seeing very little Trash coming out.    We are hoping to say that we have now found a way to prevent Trash from coming into the Baltimore Harbor....that is having Major Trash Sweeps in the Backyards of Vacant Houses throughout BaltimoreCity. There are 26 Outfalls to the Baltimore Harbor and the one at Harris Creek is one of them. If we establish this Discovery in the Harris Creek Watershed ,we can take this successful Model and implement it in the other 25 Outfalls. How can we establish this Discovery?   Simply by measuring before and after a Major Trash Sweep.......but unfortunately,the Trash Collector now located at the Harris Creek Watershed Outfall has been broken many times and not given the DPW Prioity to complete this very Important Part of the Trash Collection Equation Problem . We are having the DPW Director Al Foxx visit with us tomorrow to go over this Problem and to review the more than 100- Service Reprts collected so far to see as to how many of these SRs have been cleaned up.   Respectfully submitted,Raymond D.Bahr MD

Worthy Public Servant Congressman Cummings Watershed 246

2010-09-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed Project,having recently completed it's Strormwater Plan,is very anxoius to get started. One of the recommendations is to Promote Urban Farming efforts in the Communities of the Watershed. We are gifted to have Real Food Farm as part of the Watershed in Clifton Park.   Baltimore Hoop Village involved in Sustainable Agriculture is a Project of Civic Works and has as its Mission"to work toward a just and sustainable food systemby improving neighborhood access to Healthy Food,providing experience-based Education,and developing an economically viable,environmentally responsible local agriculture sector".

The Goal of Real Food Farm is to be a catalyst for the Creation of a Vibrant Local Agriculture Sector through provision of Skills,Training,Creation of Jobs,and Demonstration of a Relicable and Sustainable Business Model. The Harris Creek Watershed will work to take advantage of this golden opportunity. We had a chance this week to present this Watershed Plan to Congressman Cummings and were very appreciative of his comments as well as from his Staff.   Hope Williams is his new laison person on this issue. We were delighted to see this in view of her past role of being the person in charge of the Cleaner,Greener Program of Baltimore City. It was through her Leadership that the Harris Creek Watershed Project was able to do so much.

   We are grateful to Congressman Cummings for always being there for the right causes and his passion in getting proper things done. It is great to see a Public Official so dedicated and compassionate with the People and Concerns in his District. We are Blessed to have him

     Sincerely,Raymond D.Bahr MD   BHWA

Unintended Consequences leading to Urban Ghettos

2010-08-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago,I was engaged in a conversation about the Artscape Event and all the excitement that it brought to the Baltimore Scene. Truely,this has been very successful over the years and attracts a wonderful mix of people from all walks of Life. What disturbed me most was when I suggested adding a meaningful free educational program to the Artscape Event,I was rebuked by someone who commented,"you mean you are going to invite "those people"? I was mortified and shocked...and walked away from the conversation. Sure,I could have stayed and delved more about what this person meant.....and maybe tried to change the person' thinking........but,I knew that this would be almost impossible.

It got me to thinking.....thinking deeply about how this type of thinking comes about. There is an Urban Myth that areas in our City that are characterized by having concentrated poverty....that we now call Urban Ghettos owe their development to the African American Population......and that these are the areas to avoid or get killed....including even the trasitional areas surrounding them. I suppose these are "those people" that the person above was commenting about. If we were to take a poll of Baltmore Citizens about the genesis of Ghettos,we would probably find out that the majority of citizens would conclude this.

But,this is not true. It is an Urban Myth that needs to be corrected.....and the sooner,the better if we want to do something about it. It had to do with a series of Government Programs that brought about "unintended consequences" and created pockets of severe poverty,especially in the African American Population. These have been descibed best in two books.

         Urban Injustice-How Ghettos happen by David Hilfiker MD
         Not in my Neighborhood by Antero Pietila

To convince yourself,you can read about the effects of Government Insured Mortgages by the VA,the effects from developing the Inter State Highway System,the Government promoting Home Ownership over Renting and the Exclusion Surburban Zoning Code.

The question may arise,"why can't these people get jobs and work themselves out of poverty? That would be OK if jobs in the City were still available in adequate numbers. Most of the "blue collar"jobs have been lost. Inherited poverty brings with it the consequences of despair and lost hope....and leads to many dysfunctional families. Beaten down over many years has its own consequences........the worse occurs when easy money is available through the drug business. Crime related to drug activity becomes the norm and innocent bystanders are affected. Being immensly poor,little education,having a dysfunctional family at home,needing drug money etc......can only lead to criminal activity in our Society.

What can we do?     The Best Way to start is to become aware of all of this and do more reading about the issues.   Fairness is something that we all understand. When we see injustice in these areas,we should advocate for doing something about it. An example here is what the Watershed found on making Trash Rounds in these Neighborhoods....that the Trash that had been allowed to collect in the backyards of vacant houses would fill a landfill. It was almost as if we had two Baltimores....and that City Services depended on where you lived.

When City Funding is cut off,these areas suffer the most. You just have to ask yourself why is $390 Billion going to the War to create Democracies elsewhere when the Core of our Cities are going to pieces before our very eyes.......and every other month we get our dander up when someone innocent is killed.....and we point our finger at the Police Department and the Mayor...have Meetings that serve to change very little.

What does this have to do with developing a Watershed Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed ?    Maybe,developong a Watershed Plan is a way to do Community Organizing and help bring Neighborhoods together and start a grassroot effort to bring back Baltimore and make it Safe once again.

    Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD   BHWA

Why is a Cardiologist involved with the Trash Problem of Baltimore City?

2010-08-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Blocked Heart Vessels vrs Blocked Storm Drains
       Blocked Heart Vessels choke off Blood Supply to the Heart Muscle and leads to Heart Attacks. Early Chest Symptom Recognition helps prevents this from occurring.   http://www.deputyheartattack.org/
       Blocked Storm Drains in Baltimore City usually results from excessive Trash from Neighborhoods that goes down the Drain with Rain Runoff (Stormwater). Cloggage here can suffocate the City ,creates habitat for Rats and Cats and is Unhealthy for residents living within the Watershed. Since Rainwater runoff is untreated,it leads to Pollution of the Baltimore Harbor as well When this Trash Problem is added to the Poor Living Conditions associated with Poverty and Neglect of Houses (becoming Vacant and a place for criminal activities),we see the development of Inner City Pockets ( Breeding Places) for Crime and.Illegal Drugs.
    Thus in a sense the Blockages are similar.....one leads to heart muscle damage and death of the individual.....the other becomes a factor in leading to deterioration (death) of pockets of Baltimore City.   Just like outside Medical Help is required to open blocked vessel ,so too is the need to start a Process in the City (jump starts) to Clean up...... and then to Educate and Demand that Responsible Citizenship begin to take place.    Ray Bahr MD   BHWA

Walking the Alleys of the Harris Creek Watershed and being Shocked!

2010-08-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

Walking the Back Alleys in the targeted sweep area of the Harris Creek Watershed enabled this observer to see and discover that two Baltimores exist in this town when it comes to the Services of Baltimore City. It is true that the poverty stricken areas in the deep inner City have more Trash,but these areas do not have to be forsaken. There are Back Yards in some of these areas that have been neglected for months and even years. Back Yards become the "Dumping Grounds" for many Bags of Trash that the City does not pick up. Over time,this accumulation leads to a Habitat for rats who establish Burroughs amongst the piles of trash. The Rats feast on easy to open trash bags. Rats multply fast. They have up to 4-7 litters per year and have 8-12 offsprings. This amounts to 50 new Rats each year. Rats present a danger to our children in many ways Citizens in these urban areas should expect and Demand the same type of City Services as Citizens living elsewhere in the City. It is a two way street however in that once we see Enhanced City Services,we should expect and Demand more responsible Citizens taking on Responsibility for Future Trash Disposition.
Ray Bahr MD BHWA Harris Creek Watershed.

The Harris Creek Watershed Project summed up.

2010-07-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

How to sum up aWatershed Project that you have been working on for over a two to three year period of time?   To do it Justice,it needs to include the many Elements that were present and helped to shape the Final Plan. Perhaps the Best Way to appreciate it would be to view it as a Journey,because that indeed is what it turned out to be.......I say that because early in the effort,we decided to begin by seeing this Project as a "work in progress"......and that we would be open in listening to the Community of 17 Neighborhoods.......even though these Neighborhoods were connected by storm drains beneath the surface of the street,they were diverse as can be.......ex. 5% unemployment vr  50-70%, medium income 42K vrs 7K,65% African Americans vrs 10% etc..... What opened this up for this was the eye opener that had us see the injustice that was seen in the Trash Dumping taking place on vacant lots and back yards of vacant houses. Increased Trash removal was very much needed and Code Enforcement needed to be Enhanced.We were able to coordinate this effort in a targeted area within the Watershed 246 with the idea to move out into the rest of the Watershed. This is well underway... and needs to clean out as much chronic collected trash as possible to make a significant reduction of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor at the Outflow Drain in Canton (5 Tons each month).

   Since the Purpose of this Project was to develop a Watershed Plan to implement best management practices to reduce storm runoff that picks up the trash and takes it down the drain system. However,we realized that this could never be achieved unless we created the conditions or the chemistry that would unite the Citizens of the 17 Neighborhoods.   We realized that when we were able to see the injustice in the trash issue,we were uniting with the citizens.....and that the missing ingredients were the strengths shown to us by the citizens...their Faith,Trust and sharing Justice.......The Concept of a Journey....a Journey of Hope that would take us to where we needed to go......but not accomplishable until steps before it had been solidly accomplished........that we had to work through relationships that enabled us to move forward with our watershed projects.

    Perhaps,the Most Important Contribution that we were able to introduce was the "Humane Metropolis Baltimore Initiative" at the end of the Journey. What is this about? Basically what this Initiative states is that Metropolis (City-State) usually talks about it being Exploding (Sprawl),but here we are talking about a Humane Metropolis which states that we should makib    e the most of what we have but in a Humane sense. In the Harris Creek Watershed,we are on a Journey to do that which is right......cleaning up our neighborhoods of chronic trash that should not be there....promoting green community gardens....developing the chemistry that is needed to moveahead with best management practices that provide storm water manaagement.....and reaching to get even better....with what we call as the Humane Baltimoire Initiative........providing more green,engaging gathering spaces that areafe,efficient and equitable.....that will result in creative,communicative and artistic spaces.     Connectivity and Sustainability are the Goals of this Journey..to be continued
     Is this Mission impossible?



s

2010-07-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Urban Ghettos in Baltimore
The genesis of Urban Ghettos lies in unintended consequences from Government Actions,but the continued presence of them today has become our problem and the need for City Government to work to undo their existence. What happens if we fail to do so? We allow a festering unrest of unfairness to take place that fosters a different type of living for citizens.......leading to all the problems that we have in"the inner city".......crime, illegal drug use,educational drop outs....leading to a high rate of poverty,unemployment etc....affecting mostly the African American Community (65%). We have created and continue to maintain two kinds of Baltimore for the residents.

What does this have to do with Watersheds? What does this have to do with the Health of our Baltimore Harbor? Well,I will tell you. It has a lot to do with both. The Harris Creek Watershed is composed of 17 very diverse neighborhoods that are connected below the street surface with many inlets and drains that go down into the Baltimore Harbor. We are finding ways to connect above the street surface and in doing so found out that there is much more Trash laying on the streets,piled up on vacant lots and clogging our storm drains. With Trash,there are Rats and there are plenty of them....and all kind....not safe for our young children or us. We know that there are many vacant lots and vacant buildings in the poverty strickened areas. There is unfairness when we allow Trash to pile up in large piles (how large,try 10 yards by 10 yards by 3 yards high ....and there for a long period of time....try 3 months or longer). We are finding this out now as we do a Major Trash Sweep through a targeted area within the Watershed and working with a coordinated effort of Housing code enforcement and DPW trash removal. What we are finding does not exist in neighborhoods elsewhere. We are seeing two Baltimores and we don't like it. Unfair practices continue to undermine our making the City of Baltimore better and our Baltimore Harbor clean and safe. As we continue our Harris Creek Waterhed Project,we will report out what we see. The Project is designed to help introduce best management practices for storm water,but it will never be able to do so unless we address the services that we provide our citizens. We will try and introduce "greener"ideas that result in community gardens,small farms,rain gardens etc but these must go hand in hand with trash removal,rats taken away and fairness in City Services.... to these seemingly forgotten areas of our Baltimore City.

It is true that City Government has less and less funds to attack these problems,but we should not stop there. We must raise the Question WHY? Here,we might turn to MLK who came to the conclusion that the way to have people work themselves out of Ghettos is with Jobs,Jobs and more Jobs.....and Poverty is made worse with Wars. Wars steal the money needed for Cities to make comebacks. Wars make Inner Cities "third world countries" If this be the case,we have to ask the Question,why don't we have money and when we come to this conclusion,we have to question why we have Wars and Why our Leaders get us into a situation of stealing from our Cities. Less we forget,our Military Budget is 550 Billion dollars a year (China 50 Billion,Russia 50 Billion). It is estimated that Povety throughout the World can be reduced significantly with the use of one-fifth of this Military Budget.

Why do we have Poverty and Ghettos and Two Baltimores? Perhaps,unanswerable for some,but for me,it has to do with the decisions our Leaders make. Let's hope that we can get back on the right tract. It is not unpatriotic to wish for this. Raymond.D.Bahr BHWA

Cleaning up Trash in Baltimore City and Baltimore Harbor

2010-06-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

Trash,Trash.Trash everywhere....on the street....in the gutters....down the corner inlet and drain.....and down into the Baltimore Harbor. Has it reached a point of no return? Are we helpless to do anything? Will the unsightly Trash Problem always be with us? Hell "no"!

Where is this Trash coming from? We know that there are too numerous to count vacant lots and houses in the middle of this Watershed and many are just filled with Trash. Could this be the Source of the 5 Tons of Trash that enters the Baltimore Harbor through it's Outflow Drain? We will know shortly. We have set up a Plan with the Baltimore City Code Enforcement Office and the DPW Solid Waste Trash Pickup Section to aggressively clean up the Trash in a targeted footprint in the middle of the Watershed and keep it cleaned for at least ten weeks to try and see if we can reduce the Trash coming into the Baltimore Harbor (June 14 through August 30,2010). We are also beefing up Community Participation in this Effort. The second part of the Plan is go after "hobt spots" in the rest of the Watershed and reduce Trash even moreso.

We are able to measure the amount of Trash because we have a Trash Interceptor that collects and measures what comes to it. Trash is not the only Pollutant,but it is the most visible one. Reducing Trash will bring about a Safe and Healthy Baltimore Harbor that can become one day fishable and swimmable. Come,Watch our Progress and help us to create a Cleaner,Greener and more Humane Baltimore. It is Doable with your Help! Best,Ray Bahr MD

Harris Creek Watershed Project Update May 22,2010

2010-05-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed Project is about to enter an important phase of its Project. From the beginning,it's goal was to complete a Watershed Plan with the help of the Center for Watershed Protection,the Parks and People Foundation and the Community of Neighborhoods (17) in the Watershed. Information obtained from the residents indicated a great deal of illegal trash dumping on vacant lots within the Watershed. As a result of this information,the BHWA has set up a Plan of Action that will consist of a Major Trash Cleanup in a targeted footprint in 246 that will include the Code Enforcement Office of City Housing,the DPW Trash Pickup Team and the Community Residents . This will take place starting June 12 with a Kickoff and go through August 30,2010. We hope to see a Major Reductiuon in Trash being delivered to the Harris Creek Outflow Drain on Boston St.(presently it is 5 Tons of Trash each month). If so,we plan to offer this Model to the other direct watersheds emptying into the Baltimore Harbor. Along with this Trash Sweep will be the Second Workshop (June 5th) that will introduce Storm Water Management Practices within the Harris Creel Watershed. Stay tuned for more to come. Ray Bahr MD BHWA

Community Organizing of the Harris Creek Watershed

2010-03-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed Project has come a long way,but it still needs to go much further. It was helped greatly this week with a meeting that focused on the amount of illegal trash dumping on vacant lots,especially in the middle of the 246 Watershed. Input from over 400 completed Survey Questionnaires as well as input from listening to residents from the 17 Community Neighborhood Associations identified this as their number one problem. Despair from inability to do anything about the chronic problem was to be a concern that the 246 Watershed needed to address. Yes,this is a Watershed Project with a Stormwater Plan when completed....and Yes,we want to prevent the trash from coming down into the Baltimore Harbor........but,even more important,the 246 Watershed is interested in going after this illegal trash dumping as an Injustice to the Community and Advocating for a Program to quickly clean the trash up and to develop aggressive measures to prevent it from happening. Plans are under way to coordinate the efforts of many to bring this about. Engaging our Citizens at a deeper level of committment is a way to strenghen the Community of 17 Neighborhoods needed in this 246 Watershed Effort. The Clean "Harbor" comes only after we prevent permanently the illegal trash dumping from taking place on vacant lots and in vacant buildings in the Harris Creek Watershed. We are deeply appreciative of the role of Baltimore City Housing Department and their Code Enforcement Division as well as the Baltimore City Department of Public Works and their Cleaner,Greener Program,Solid Waste Program,Community Education Program etc As initially stated,we still have a long way to go......but the Direction is now clearer.
Respectfully for the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association,the Parks and People Foundation,the Center for Watershed Protection,Raymond D.Bahr MD Harris Creek Watershed Program Coordinator

Trash HearingsCity Hall March 9,2010

2010-03-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

Trash in the Baltimore Harbor was the Topic of Discussion. The Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association (BHWA) presented evidence that 5 Tons of Trash was being delivered each month to the Baltimore Harbor at the Outflow along the 2700 block of Boston Street (across from the Safeway). To investigate this,the BHWA obtained Funding to do the Harris Creek Watershed Project (HCWP). This includes 17 Neighborhoods and 2 great Parks and covers 1270 acres and has a population about 44,000 residents.

The Question that we raised was,"How do we bring about a Community of these Neighborhoods to address this Pollution of the Harbor? How do we deal with the tremendous Diversity existing in these Neighborhoods medium income 44K vrs 6 K unemployment 6% vrs 40-50% African American population of 10% vrs 65% ? This is and always will be our Challenge. Intetresting enough,these 17 Neighborhoods are connected beneath the surface of the street by 55 miles of storm drains that lead down into the Baltimore Harbor.

This Problem would seem like a "slam dunk" to solve. Reduce the Trash and find ways of recycling as much as possible. Find ways to get the storm water to go into the ground rather than onto impervious surfaces (concrete and asphalt streets). Could we change culture by education alone? No,and we knew that going into the Project. We planned to "Listen to the residents" to see what their Issues were and what their Priorities were. We prepared a Survey Questionnaire to get this Input and we went further by going to all the Community Neighborhood Association Meetings and listened further to their Issues.

What did we find? We found out that the Input from the 400 completed Questionnaires that Trash was their number one concern and that it was more than Trash,bur Illegal Trash Dumping on Vacant Lots and Buildings within their Neighborhoods. We began to study this and took photos of this Illegal Practice. We were amazed at the amount of this Trash Dumping and that the"crys for help" were often times neglected or treated lightly and with disrespect. We remembered the saying that'"Bad things happen to poor people". They get dumped upon. They are most vulnerable and their voices are not often heard. They needed people to advocate for them. This is a form of Environmental Injustice and should not be tolerated. We needed to correct this in order to get the trust of the residents if we wanted to clean up the Trash in the Harbor. How can we do so?

It was our initial plan to develop the concept of a "landkeeper" who would be the middle person between the residents and the City,but we discovered that the City through the Housing Department had already began an aggressive approach to this Illegal Dumping. We pointed out that this was Great but it could be greatly improved with a few changes. We are planning now to work and tweak this a little to do even a better job. We are very optimistic about rapidly accomplishing our Goal to reduce significantly the Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor.

"Veni,Vidi,Vici" We have found where a major part of the Trash to the Baltimore Harbor is coming from. It is coming from the middle part of the 246 Watershed where their are many Vacant Lots and Vacant Buildings.....and it is coming from Illegal Dumping of the Trash on these sites. We hope to now work close;y with the Housing Department and Department of Public Works to put into place a Plan that will aggressively attack this Problem. If so,we should start to see a significant reduction in the 5 Tons of Trash each month entering the Baltimore Harbor. Ray Bahr MD Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed Project

2010-02-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

Workshop Outcome of the Harris Creek Watershed Feb.20,2010

The Workshop was successful in addressing Trash that was coming from Illegal Dumping on Vacant Lots and in Vacant Houses. Most of this was taking place in the middle part of the Harris Creek Watershed. The Community of 17 Neighborhoods appears to be coming together to be a spokesperson for this injustice. Calling 311,even though considered by the City DPW the procedure to do,just does not seem to be working. This Information was obtained from over 400 Questionnaires completed within the Watershed. It was learned that the City Housing Department has hired a number of Code Enforcement Officers whose job it is to go after Trash Violators. The number of Citations has more than doubled within the last six months. Community Leaders are asking that residents be able to directly work with these Housing Inspectors to get better results in cleaning Trash from our streets. We will attempt to do this at the next Trash Hearings at City Hall under Councilperson James Kraft's direction. This may turn out to be a Win-Win-Win situation. What is very much needed in these Neighborhoods is to restore the Trust that was lost by inaction and abuse over the years. It is the Plan of the Harris Creek Watershed to regain this Trust by action steps that will bring about Environmental Justice. The Community of Neighborhoods will then develop into a strong Watershed Association that can address Trash in all aspects and give Sustainability to the Watershed Project. We are gathering and asssessing the feedback information from the Workshop and shortly will be setting up the second Workshop to be conducted in about six weeks. Stay tuned in! Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA

Cancelation of the Harris Creek Watershed Workshop Feb.13,2010

2010-02-10T17:37:00.000-08:00

Snow.....Snow.....Snow.......and more to come.
The Harris Creek Watershed Workshop scheduled for this Saturday Fe.13 has to be canceled due to the Snow. It is being rescheduled for the following Saturday Feb.20,2010. Despite our excitement about this Conference,we could not ignore the obvious. People would put themselves at Risk,and this we did not want to chance this. We are planning to have it at St.Anthony's Hall at St Casimir's Church,but we need to confirm this. Stay tuned and if you have Questions,call me at 410-534-7655 or e-mail me at RDB60@aol.com.
We are excited because of the possible of New Initiatives that would include (1) a Landkeeper position who would work with City Housing to reduce trash violations and do Justice to these Neighborhoods (2) Hoop Greenhouse Farming that could make fresh produce available all year round at the City Schools and provide Education,Environment intoduction and "Green"jobs. This would enhance Proper Nutrition and help to offset Childhood Obesity and Adult onset Diabetes. (3) adoption of the "Humane Metropolis Baltimore" Initiative as advanced by Parks and People Foundation. (4) Facilitating the Community of 17 Neighborhoods in coming together with a StormWater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed. Thus,You can see why we are Excited to have this Workshop. Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA

Workshop for the Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project

2010-02-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

The First Workshop for the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project will take place Saturday February 13 from 9 AM to 1 PM at St.Anthony's Hall in Casinmir's Parish on the corner of O'Donnell and Kenwood Ave. Come, share in the excitement of this Project that is aimed at cleaning up City streets and preventing Trash from going into the Baltimore Harbor. This has been a "listening project" for us in that we discovered that years of abuse and illegal dumping on vacant lots had eroded the trust residents had for the City. It became obvious that we could not just push the Trash Problem unless we undertook the task to understand the injustice issues confronting residents in the Harris Creek Watershed. We could only build real Community by promoting Justice. On february 13,we (the BHWA) will be discussing our Mission,our Strategy and our Plans that will enable us to make this a Win-Win-Win situation for all concerned. Join us as we tackle the issues that divide us so that we can identify the concerns that bring us together. Success here will have us wind up with a Cleaner City and a Cleaner Baltimore Harbor. Raymond D.Bahr MD Harris Creek Coordinator BHWA 2/3/10

Neighborhoods in the Harris Creek Watershed

2010-01-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Harris Creek Watershed consists of two Parks,Clifton Park and Patterson Park as well as 16 Neighborhoods. These are as follows,

Darley Park

South Clifton Park

Four by Four

Oliver

Broadway East

Berea

Biddle Street

Middle East

Milton-Montford

Madison Eastend

McElderry Park

Patterson Place

Butchers Hill

Baltimore Linwood

Canton

Ellwood Park/Monument

These Neighborhoods will be visited by Phillip Stafford (Parks and People Foundation) and Ray Bahr (BHWA) in the month of January 2010. Input from the Survey Questionnaires will be obtained. 2-4 Stakeholders from these Neighborhoods will be asked to attend our First Workshop to be held Saturday February 13 9-12 at St.Casimir's Hall in Canton.

Ray Bahr BHWA

Completing the First Leg of the Harris Creek Watershed Project

2010-01-02T20:54:00.000-08:00

The Strategy from the beginning for the Stormwater Project in the Harris Creek Watershed was to not only educate the residents about Trash and Pollution and the implementation of Best Management Practices,but also to deeply engage the residents by identifing Issues that were more of a concern to them.Many of these Issues had to do with Environmental Injustice. An example here is the pollution of a stormwater drain located at the Baltimore Recycling Plant. This Business recieves the demolition material from the houses being torn down North of Johns Hopkins to make way for new development. MDE was notified and after inspection,found the Plant to be in Violation and as a result now requires certain conditions to be carried out while undergoing periodic inspection. The Community Associations in the 17 Neighborhoods in the Harris Creek Watershed noticed this accomplishment. The more deeply the Project gets involved like this,the more chance we have of giving Sustainabilty to the Project.

The Masterplan continues.............We worked with the Environmental Justice Partnership at Johns Hoplkins to set up the Watershed Project at the Community Outreach Stand at the Northeast Market, both in November and December and were successful in obtaining more than 100 completed Questionnaires on the Harris Creek Watershed. Incidentally,this was the exact Questionnaire given out by the DPW at the recent educational conference at the Rowing Club. We are trying to see if we can add the DPW completed ones to our numbers. The next step is to present what we are doing in the Watershed Project to all of the 17 Community Asssociation Meetings in January. We plan to get more Community Input through handing out and completing the Watershed Questionnaire. At these meetings,we will try and identify Stakeholders that will come to our First Workshop scheduled for Saturday Feb.13,2010 at St.Casimir's in Canton. The Center for Watershed Protection will be responsible for setting up the Program Agenda for this Meeting. The Parks nd People Foundation will gather up all the Questionnaires (hopefully 600-800) and subject them to Analysis for Presentation at the Workshop. The Department of Public Works will be asked to participate as a Partner. This is being coordinated by the Batimore Harbor Watershed Association.

This Workshop,as well as several others to follow will enable us to write a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed and will thus complete the First Leg of the Journey to reduce significantly Trash and Pollution coming out of the Harris Creek Outflow Drain located on Boston Steet next to the Anchorage Towers. Presently,we are collecting 5 Tons of Trash each month. If we are successful here,we can take this Model around to the other 26 Outlets in the Baltimore Harbor and one day see a Healthy and Clean Harbor that is fishable and Swimmable.

We are proud that the BHWA is in sight of seeing the First Leg of the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project completed. Thanks to Phillip Stafford from Parks and People Foundation and Donna Kirsh from the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association for contributing so much to make this dream possible. Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator of the Harris Creek Watershed Project.

Harris Creek Watershed Strategy

2009-12-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

The initial Department of Public Works Grant to the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association was to develop a Stormwater Management Plan for reducing Trash and Pollution in the Watershed. We had an advantage in that we had a Trash Interceptor at the Outflow which was collecting 5 tons of Trash each month. The Therapy for this problem was to implement BMPs or Best Management Practices ( success stories learned from the Watershed 263 Project) throughout the 17 neighborhoods and two Parks in Watershed 246 (Harris Creek Watershed). The initial Grant was to contract with Parks and People Foundation and do the "people phase" of the Project. We were to develop a way to identify Stakeholders from the neighborhoods,get input from the residents through a Survey Questionnaire,educate Community Associations about the Stormwater Problem and finally to get adequate representation from the 17 neighborhoods to engage in several Workshops that would allow for the development of a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershe. The Workshops were part of the second phase and wre to be funded through a Grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund and the Service to be performed by the Center for Watershed Protection in collaboration with the Parks and Peolple Foundation,the Baltimore City Department of Public Works and coordinated through the efforts of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association.

The Survey Questionnaire has been perfected and has been completed by about 400 persons so far. We are anticipating 700-800 at the completion date (end of January 2010).At that time,we will begin our Workshops (second week in February) and these will lead to the development of a Stormwater Management Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.

We have benefitted greatly during this Journey through the efforts of Donna Kirsh (BHWA) who has been able to obtain the second Grant as well as another small Grant for the Harris Creek Park. We have interacted with many Groups working within our Watershed and have benefitted fom theis advice as well as help. We realized right from the beginning that Education and Knowledge was not enough to change behavior of the citizens within the Watershed......and that which was needed was a "change in culture" and this was going to be a real challenge. We were helped a great deal from the symposiul on Humane Metropolis Baltimore....that Key Elements needed to be present to bring about a Culture Change.....and that Cities needed to become more GREEN;to protect and restore urban biodiversity and ecological services....more HEALTHY;to promote outdoor exercise and fitness,reduce respiratory threats....more SAFE;to reduce crime rates,lower risk of fire,floods and other hazards.....more EFFICIENT;to employ a better use of water,energy,materials etc.......more EQUITABLE; to embrace environmental and social justice,affordable housing,access to Jobs........more NEIGHBORLY; to foster Pride of Place and Community.

In addition to these six, Dr.Lenneal Henderson proposed that three additional characteristics of the New City develop.....these being CREATIVITY,COMMUNICATIVE and ARTISTIC for obvious reasons. The Goal of all of these was to Restore Nature within the Urban Regions. One could sum up this approach with the statement "Creating Community through Horticulture and Engaging Gathering Places. If we could get more people out more,engaging in community activities such as Community Gardens,get them talking to one another.......bringing out our Humanity,we could bring about Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.......then problems such as Trash and Pollution could be addressed.

This is a step in the right direction that we have taken,but along the way we have encountered elements that need to be addressed.....some positive....some negative. The latter may include the distrust we have encountered that has as its basis the Environmental Injustice Practices in the Watershed over many years. These are real and we have to help in addressing and working to correct them if we want to change culture within the Watershed. On the other hand,we have come upon the emerging development of Hoop Agricultural Farming that potentially could provide a harvest of vegetables and fruits all year round that is locally and easily assessible....and could be placed at City Schools for School Children . This needs to be tested ,but has great potential. The Harris Creek Watershed is working with Civic Works to see if this can be accomplished in the Schools in the Harris Creek Watershed. As a result of our interest in Environmental Justice,we are forming a partnership with Environmental Justice Partnership.....and also trying to become a partner with Source for our Watershed Project at Johns Hopkins.

What is Important here is the Fact that this Project becomes more that just a Stormwater Project,but one of trying to Improve the Quality of Life for the residents in the Watershed and that can only come if we approach the Project as a "Work in Progress" and be open to discuss all Issues and put them all on the Table. We become better persons in the Process. We have more to do and more roads to travel.The Direction we now know is Clear.

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed Project

Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association

Baltimore City Paper: CPTV: Hoop Dreams

2009-11-27T09:03:00.000-08:00

Baltimore City Paper: CPTV: Hoop Dreams

This is part of the Harris Creek Watershed of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed and the Plan is to utilize this concept of Hoop Greenhouses throughout the Harris reek Watershed.

Ray Bahr Coordiator Harris Creek Watershed tormwater Project

Thanksgiving Day as a time to Justice in the World

2009-11-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

Thanksging is a warm Holiday of Remembrances as we fill our stomachs with a standard menu (not to be touched with),then sit back in soft armchairs and doze off to short periods of sleep as we watch endless football games of little significance.......but it is also a Time to reflect and think about those Not So Blessed.......those Struggling,many times through no fault of their own.......Poverty is a real issue in America today.....it is often said that for many Americans,they still live in a third world country........in some way or other,our Humaness needs to reach out to these fellow Americans and World People. How we do it and how often will depend on many factors and has to be individualized........but we need to do so for these needy people....not just for them.....but to restore our own Humanity.

Perhaps,another thought that needs to come to mind is that "bad things happen to poor people"....... and this is something that we do wrong and need to correct. This should not happen,and when it does we need to quickly speak up and speak out to the wrongful actions. I am talking here about Environmental Injustice. Affected communities are taken advantage of and lose TRUST and become suspicious when even good programs for their communities are presented. This is what we found when we tried to develop. a Watershed Stormwater Project to reduce Trash and Pollution flowing into the Baltimore Harbor.

Enough said,we concluded that before we could develop the Stormwater Project,we must first find out from the residents the true issues confronting them and work to improve these conditions as well. Strong neighborhoods and stakeholders are needed so when challenged will be a factor in restoring Baltimore. The Improvement in the Quality of Life for residents in these neighborhoods will then enable a successful Stormwater Project,such as the Harris Creek Watershed Plan ,to become a reality.

This is what we are finding in this "Work in Progress". What are your Thoughts?

Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project BHWA

Recognition of Patterson Park Top 12 Great Parks in the United States

2009-11-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Tim Almaguer and the Friends of Patterson Park for getting on the Forbes List for the Top 12 Great Parks in the United States. What an Achievement! WOW! The amount of Time, Effort and Commitment over the last 10 years has been Phenomenal. Citizens of Baltimore need to take time to recognize this,stand and applaud.

The Harris Creek Watershed Association is Proud that Patterson Park lies within its Watershed. Not only is it in it,but in many days long ago,it had a more intimate relationship. It was at the Northern part of Harris Creek that William Patterson had a six acre farm. There were two large steams that met just North of the Park to form a Major Stream that gave way to the Harris Creek that eventually flowed into the Baltimore Harbor along Boston Street in Canton. Harris Creek in 1797 had two large Boat Yards and it was at the Stodder Boat Yard where the famous Frigate Constillation was built as well as many Clipper Ships that played havoc with the British in the War of 1812.

We are trying to clean up the Harris Creek Watershed these days with a Stormwater Project that aims to reduce Trash and Pollution from going into the Baltimore Harbor. We are Proud of our Heritage....Proud of Harris Creek.....and even more Proud of Patterson Park after getting this recognition. Thanks Tim and Friends of Patterson Park. We appreciate your Effort.

Best,Raymond D.Bahr MD Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association

Moving ahead with the Harris Creek Watershed Project

2009-11-21T17:45:00.000-08:00

The easiest part of doing this Project is to Educate about Trash and Implement Best Management Practices for dealing with excessive runoff from Stormwater. There are 17 neighborhoods in the Harris Creek Watershed that goes from Clifton Park to the Baltimore Harbor in Canton at the Outflow Drain located just across from the Safeway. However doing the Project this way only would wind up as a Failure. There are a lot of Issues in these neighborhoods that are more Important than Stormwater Management. These Issues need to part of the Equation in solving the Trash and Pollution Problem.

The medium earned Income is about $45,000 in the Canton area and this decreases to about $10,000 as one goes North. The Unemployment Rate is about 6% in the Canton area and rises to about 30% as one goes North. This translates to neighborhoods having Poverty Issues that results in an increase in the Illegal Drug Trading and the Violence and Homicide that goes with this trend. Humanity gets lost and there is a sense of Hopelessness. Homes become neglected and vacant. Dumping of trash in alleys and on vacant lots occur, setting the scene for rat infestation.

Residents become suspicious of outsiders,especially developers and urban planners. Trust is lost and becomes an obstacle preventing any meaningful discussion about a Stormwater Project.
Yet despite these shortcomings,all is not lost. Residents are still fellow human beings that seemingly have lost temporarily their humanity. Needed is a developing fellowship based on an understanding that Projects become sensitive in working to become more aware of the many issues confronting a neighborhood.

Yes,we will continue in the Watershed 246 Project or the Harris Creek Watershed Project,but we will tread lightly as we attempt to find ways to get back this Community Trust, so very much needed to engage deeply the Stakeholders that will help us in connecting Neighborhoods ......and use this as a Bridging Force to bring back a Live Baltimore.

Help us to understand what we have to do to unite and ignite the Neighborhoods in this Effort.

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association

Survey Questionnaire for residents of Watershed 246

2009-10-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

This has been a Tough Week for the Harris Creek Watershed (246). It is hard enough to controil the things that you can,but even worse when things come your way totally unprepared for. The only you can is to have "tenacity to the Vision" and keep moving on.

After the Bus Tour of the Harris Creek Watershed,we sat down to complete the Questionnaire that we could then use to do the Survey in the upper part of the Harris Creek Watershed.The Pan is to use this information in part of a Workshop being put together that will help in developing a Stormwater plan for the Watershed. To do this,we need people or residents to come together and share their experiences so that "problems of the neighborhoods" can be worked out in this setting. For these,we need to reach out and identify such individuals,but we are having trouble getting cooperation from those in authority that is needed to do this effectively.

Despite this setback,we are determined to modify our strategy and reach these people necessary to write a stormwater plan. "Tenacity to the Vision will be our Battlecry"

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA

Hoop Dreams: Sustainable agriculture comes to Lake Clifton Park | Baltimore City Paper

2009-10-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hoop Dreams: Sustainable agriculture comes to Lake Clifton Park Baltimore City Paper

This will be part of our Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed. We will try and promote Community Green Gardens,both the Standard ones as well as the "more intensive ones" as described here throughout the many unused acres in our Urban area for Agriculture. Read about this and give us some of your ideas how this can be successful in our GIS 246 Watershed. Ray Bahr MD BHWA

Harris Creek Watershed Game Plan

2009-10-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Game Plan

The Stormwater Project of the Harris Creek Watershed can only be successfully accomplished if there is Community Buy-in and that will require more than just Education about Trash and implementing best management practices for stormwater management. It will require an entire mindset change for this cultural change to take place.It will involve getting to know what the residents in these 17 neighborhoods feel are more pressing issues and how to go about achieving both objectives. Areas with concentrated poverty makes it difficult for residents to lead a more normal existence. To help neutralize this,we will try our best to promote,enhance and expand Community Gardens and Community Gathering Places. We will try and work with the Churches as well as the many groups already involved in cleaning and greening activities (see previous e-blog) in this watershed. Networking (never having to re-invent the wheel) will be a major strategy in trying to connect the people and the places in this watershed.There are many fine people living in these areas that at times become strangulated with the crime,violence and illegal drugs. Our Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed will get nowhere unless we find ways to improve the Quality of Life for all living in the watershed. We need to provide this Hope for them

With these Thoughts in Mind,we will incorporate the Humane Metropolis Baltimore Initiative that recently unrolled in a Conference Workshop sponsored by the Maryland Historical Society and the Parks and People Foundation. The Initiative highlights new initiatives to become more:

Green: Protect and restore urban biodiversity and ecological services.

Healthy: Promote outdoor exercises and fitness,reduce respiratory threats.

Safe: Reduce crime rates;lower risk of fire,floods and other hazards.

Efficient: Employ a better use of water,energy,materials (green buildings,light rail etc).

Equitable: Embrace environmental and social justice,affordable housing,access to jobs.

Neighborly: Foster pride of place and sense of Community

To these six, Dr.Lenneal Henderson added three more to improve even moreso the above. These are Creativity,Communication and Artistic........and to gel this Plan even moreso,Scott Spencer added "diversity" has to be included in every discussion.

Creating Community through Horticulture and adding Gathering Places for the needed Converstations to take place that will highlight Humanity as the most important aspect in our Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA

2009-10-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed Plan for Stormwater Management
"Moving Along"

(3)-What makes this a viable Plan and gives it Hope is what is going on in the "greening" parts of the Watershed. Let's take a Look!

Banner Neighborhood's Garden

Duncan Block Community Garden

Montford and McElderry Garden

600 N.Rose Garden

God's Glory to Glover Street

Milton Montford Garden

Garden of Eden

Eager and Milton Garden

Faith Garden/Chess Park

Mura Street Garden

Lanvale Garden

Duncan Miracle Garden

North and Wolfe Garden

Darley Park Community Garden

Madeira Street Garden

Community Humane Groups working together

HEBCAC

Civic Works Americorp Program

Baltimore Green Space

B'more Green

Tree Baltimore

Cleaner,Greener Baltimore Initiative

OSI Fellows

University of Maryland Cooperative Gardens

Parks and Recreation

CARE

Baltimore Green Mapping

Master Gardener Program

Environmental Justice Partnership

Habitat for Humanity

Not to be forgotten are the Two Parks, Patterson Park and Clifton Park and the many vacant lots being turned into green spaces. Also to be included are the many Churches and Schools. Connecting these green points of lights and increasing the Gathering Spaces are part of the Humane Metropolis Initiative that serves as our Strategy for improving the Quality of Life in these impoverished areas. We can not expect to develop an effective Stormwater Plan for this Watershed unless we show an attempt to change the Culture of Despair that exists. Finding and Identifying Effective Stakeholders in each of the 17 Neighborhoods will be a Tool that we will seek to employ. Stay tuned in..............best,BHWA

The Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project

2009-10-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed Project is starting to make Progress. Moving it forward and getting the Message out as to what we aim to do in the Watershed is Important to us at this stage. The "gist" of this was included in a recent Sun Paper Article following a Bus Tour of the Harris Creek Watershed.

The Important Points covered and now available to the Public are (1)-The Harris Creek Watershed is an undertaking by the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association (BHWA),that is has a significant Historic background,that it was paved over during the Industrialization of Canton,that it has an Outflow on Boston St,that 55 miles of pipes are necessary to carry the stormwater from Clifton Park to the Canton Area. There is a Paddle Wheel Trash Interceptor located at the Outfall and 3-5 Tons of Trash are collected each month. The immediate Goal of the BHWA is to reduce this significantly with Practices that will accomplish this.

(2)-The way to Clean up the Baltimore Harbor is to Clean up the City ....one Block at a time and help bring back Baltimore. However this will be a real challenge because of the Diversity that now exists in the Watershed. There is a wide variation in Income,rate of unemployment,schools crimes,drug addiction,etc Social Justice and Environmental Justice Issues need to be considered and better understood before setting up Workshops dealing with the Stormwater Issue. It becomes a Shared Watershed Plan only if "togetherness" becomes part of the core ingredients.

More to Come. Ray Bahr MD BHWA

Harris Creek Watershed Bus Tour

2009-10-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Bus Tour to see the Harris Creek Watershed will take place on Saturday October 17,2009 from 12:30 to 3 PM and end in Canton at St.Anthony's Hall (St.Casimir's) with refreshments of Homemade Regular Chilli and Vegetarian Chilli where a discussion and critique of the Watershed will take place. There are 17 Neighborhoods and two Parks in the Watershed. Those interested in coming on the Bus Tour,contact Ray Bahr 410-534-7655

Miracle Garden on Duncan St.in the Harris Creek Watershed

2009-09-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

On Saturday,the Miracle Garden on Duncan St Celebrated 20 years in operation. How do you like that for Sustainability? Lewis Sharpe is not only the Master Gardiner there,but he is also the Gourmat Chef. He prepared for us a sumptuous meal prepared from the Harvest. Noah and Jade,the children of Anita Stewart-Hammerer acted as the Tour Guides. Congratulations Duncan St. Many more years to you all.
Where this makes sense is to connect these green gardens,much like Olmstead did in the early 1900s when he talked about an enveloping green necklace surrounding the City and penetrating it. It provided outdoor activities,both fun and recreational. In Watershed 246,we hope to do the same. It has been said that you can create real community with Horticulture and Gathering Spaces where conversation,learning and spirituality can take place. Thus,the Harris Creek Watershed Project is more than a Stormwater Project. Think of it as a way to bring back Viable Neighborhoods that form the Backbone of a Healthy Baltimore. We are trying..... RDB

2009-09-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

Harris Creek Watershed (246) Stormwater Project Meeting on September 1,2009

Putting together the Community Gardens (green assets) in the Neighborhoods that serves as a Gathering Space,not only for gardening but also Events and Educational Opportunities that provide Safe conditions. www.facebook.com/raymondbahr

Metropolis Baltimore Greening and Cleaning Effort

2009-09-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed (246) Stormwater Project
Humanity Initiative
Creating Community through Horticulture and Gathering Spaces

The Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association (BHWA) has taken on a Stormwater Project in the Harris Creek Watershed. This encompases 1270 acres and extends from Clifton Park to the Harris Creek Outflow in Canton (2700 block Boston St). It's purpose is to significantly reduce Trash and Pollution from going into the Baltimore Harbor. It plans to do this through Community Education and Implementing Best Management Practices for Stormwater Management. We know that currently there is 3-5 tons of Trash being deposited in the Harbor each month. To be successful,it is necessary not only to educate but to have the Stormwater Plan accepted by the 20 Communities in the 246 Watershed. The concerns of the Community Stakeholders need to be addressed as well. The Plan is to understand not only the Stormwater Plans but how best to Improve the Neighborhoods and Help in the Stregthening of these Communities.

The Approach we are taking is to Partner with other Community minded Groups by focusing on the Greener,Cleaner Efforts. The Humanity Initiative is derived from the recently held Conference entitled "Humana Metropolis Baltimore" sponsored by the Maryland Historical Society and the Parks and People Foundation and places emphasis on "Green,Healthy,Neighborly,Safe,Equitable and Efficient" in an effort to connect the Green Spaces throughout Baltimore City and bring more people out of their houses and enjoy Life. Lenneal Henderson felt that three other features should be added,namely "creative,communicative and artistic". Scot Spencer from the Anne Casey Foundation thought that "diversity concerns" should also be added. The Sum of adding these is to put into place a collective effort to connect green parks,community gardens and markets in hope of improving the Quality of Life in these Communities.

Equation for accomplishing this.

Greening Efforts Gathering Spaces Expanding the Effort Value Added Aspect

Community Gardens Enlive with Education Include more people
Parks and Entertainment Create New Programs
Converting vacant lots,
alleys,asphalt playgrounds

The First Meeting on collecting the inventory in Watershed 246 took place Sept 1,2009 and Assets will be reported in the next e-blog. Raymond Bahr MD BHWA

2009-09-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

September 1,2009 Preparing the way for the Watershed 246 Stormwater Project

2009-09-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed 246 Stormwater Project involves 20 Neighborhoods that go from Clifton Park to the Harris Creek Outflow on Boston St. in Canton. In most of the Watershed medium income is down and unemployment up. Attempting to educate these Neighborhoods about Trash and Stormwater plans may be difficult unless there is also an attempt to understand the conditions under which the people residing in these Neighborhoods exist. How does one go about creating a positive force that will work to improve the Quality of Living in these Neighborhoods? How can Transformation take place?

I would propose that we look seriously at the recently held Conference entitled "Humane Metropolis Baltimore". It was sponsored by the Parks and People Foundation and touched on subjects germaine to answering the question of this Transformation. The relationship that we have to one another can be enhanced by activities that bring us out of our selves and encourage engagement and participation addressing common goals. Humanity blossoms in this environment. How can this be achieved and is this pipe dream possible?

the Formula for achieving this can be summarized this way,

(1)- Support the many "greening" projects throughout these Neighborhoods. I have been impressed by all the meaningful people involved in such activities.Their struggles to maitain this effort,especially in the present Economy,has not gone unnoticed. A listing of these activities is being put together. Connecting these "green"activities is a way of providing security and safety in these Neighborhoods. In many ways,it resembles the "green necklace" envisioned by the Olmsteads around the turn of the Century.

(2)- Create "Gathering Spaces" that bring people out and communicate more....the more,the better....Master Gardeners mixing with the Food experts and the Chefs....local experts among the opinion gatherers.

(3)- Find ways to engage as many people as possible....in some form of activity. Patterson Park and the Friends of Patterson Park is a prime example of what can be done optimally with a large Community coming together to make it better for everyone to enjoy.

(4)- Now with the above three as a start,begin to Grow exponentially in numbers of green gathering spaces and expansion for newer ways to involve even more of the populace....the elders....the disable......more programs for children....more school involvement(chess garden)

Inherited Poverty brings with it the baggage of Toxicity that has a negative influence on these Neighborhoods,but the Humanity that is promoted with an Emphasis on green gathering spaces that engage the members of the Community helps to offset this and gathers momentum as it pervades throughout the Community.

As the saying goes,

The Goal of these "green spaces" is to bring People Together to Rub Shoulders,Have Fun,and with Luck......even Get To Know Each Other.

When we work to make Life a Better Place for All of Us,we will have Prepared Well the Community for introducing the Harris Creek Watershed 246 Stormwater Plan.

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA

Connectivity is the First Step in The Harris Creek Project

2009-07-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

July 29,2009 Blog

From Theory and Strategy to Action Steps. The First Step is for the BHWA to identify the current Assets and Inventory of Projects as well as the Resources within Watershed 246. It is amazing how many of these are taking place here but in many cases they are not connected. We have seen community gardens,an artistic chess , the miracle garden,BMPs,vacant lot projects,the Tree Baltimore project,civic works projects,etc Connecting these areas will begin the Effort to create a green necklace throughout the neighborhood. Stormwater Management brings with it "greening activities",but developing strong Stakeholders in the Neighborhoods will be needed to sustain the Efforts made. In addition,the same people can network with other groups working in the 246 Watershed. Creating Clean and Green Gathering Spaces throughout the neighborhoods makes them more Safe for the citizens traveling through them.

Connectivity..... or Connecting the green spaces throughout will be the Focus of the next Meeting of the Harris Creek Watershed Project to be held September 1,2009 at Lighthouse Point 2700 Boston St.6-8 PM. There is no question that the Stormwater Project will be difficult to carry out in the areas that are economically challenged,but working with Community Leaders and Stakeholders will be the next step in the Process. Planned next is a Bus Tour for Leaders in the 20 Communities....to be followed by several Workshops aimed at coming together in understanding and thought before developing the 246 Watershed Plan that will put into play Best Management Practices for dealing with the Rain runoff in the Watershed.

more to come....follow us on www.Baltimorewaters.org Ray Bahr MD BHWA

2009-07-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and Landscape Archirect at the turn of the century (1900). What does this have to do with the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project? Today,"green space" is viewed as grass somewhat outside our house,but years ago at the turn of the Centurt (1900) there was a lot of excitement about Parks in the City. There were many reasons for this,but what intrigued me the most was the Public Health Issue. The "germ" theory had just been discovered as related to infections and... that the way to deal with the Problem was for citizens to get out of the house (close quarters),get walking and strolling,and get more frequent "baths". Parks were places where all three of these activities could take place. Public Bath Houses were popular in those days. Today,we take a bath at least once a day,but back then it was uncommon to do so. Why? Houses did not have baths,showers,tubs etc and toilet facilities were outdoors and it was OK to wash yourself once a month or less. I know your thinking,but that was the way back then....accept it and let's get on with my points. It started out as Public Health (to prevent infections from germs) and then it turned to Personal Hygiene. Remember Johns Hopkins had a School of Public Health and Hygiene. Parks and Green Space were very popular and Frederick Law Olmsted convinced citizens that the City lived within a Park....that there was a green necklace(green emerald) connecting all the green space and that within this lived a City with People..........the "connectivity" allowed people to get out,converse at gathering spots and became neighborly,allowed cleaning up and green activities .....and brought about safe neighborhoods' It was Sustainable because of this connectivity. This connectivity extended to the Baltimore Harbor and "green to blue' added to the Quality of Human Experiences. Over the years ,a lot of this became disconnected. We can lament over why this took place,but it is what it is. Sprawl resulted to our dismay,but it does not prevent us from doing the best with what we have.....and that is the message of the Initiative Humane Metropolis Baltimore.....bringing back the connectivity that was lost ...with greening....cleaning....getting people out to community gardens ....communicating with our neighbors.....making communities safer and more friendly.....bringing back Baltimore. That brings me to the point of talking abot the Harris Creek Watershed Project that will work to reduce Trash in the Baltimore Harbor but also put into effect Best Management Practices for Stormwater Management that will have greening aspects to this Strategy. The Project includes 20 Neighborhoods and presents a real Challenge,but if carried out well could well put us on a path to bring back the connectivity needed to place the green necklace around the City and connect it to a Cleaner and Safer Baltimore Harbor.
Interested in Helping to futher this along? Volunteer www.Baltimorewaters.org
The Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association Ray D.Bahr MD

2009-07-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

How does a Stormwater Project promote a Healthy Neighborhood?
Stormwater or Rainwater causes problems when it arrives on concrete pavement or asphlalt parking lots and washes down the drain whatever is on the streets. To reduce Stormwater runoff,the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association will be working with the Center for Watershed Protection to develop a Stormwater Plan to prevent problems of Runoff. Basically,this Consists of what is called "Best Management Practices(BMPS)"....diverting the water into areas that may absorb it prior to getting to the Stormdrain at the end of the street. Many of these BMPs are "greening" in that they consists of rain gardens,community gardens,tress etc. Thus the idea of a "Humane Metropolis Baltimore" fits very nicely into Stormwater Management and begins the Cycle needed to bring back a Healthy Neighborhood. If we start with Green (protect and restore urban biodiversity)......we go to Healthy (promote outdood exercise and fitness)....go to Safe (reduce crime rates).......to Efficient (employ a better use of water,energy etc)....to Equitable (embrace environmental and social justice).....and end up Neighborly (foster pride of place and sense of Community).
The Link between the Stormwater Management Plan and a cleaner,greener development strategy was recently presented in a Workshop sponsored by Parks and People and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.To become a Humane Metropolis,you have to bring about these key points. In addition,Lenneal J.Henderson (University of Baltimore) proposed that three other chacteristics be added,these being "creative,communicative and artistic". It is quite obvious that these three will add greatly to a robust and viable Neighborhood Community. Last,but not least is what Scot Spencer (Annie Casey Foundation) added......that we consider Diversity because of the Disparities that have accumulated over time widening the Gap and contributing to the Decline in Baltimore Neighborhoods.
With this in mind,the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association will be managing the Harris Creek Watershed Project by reducing Trash and Stormwater Runoff as a way to Clean Baltimore Harbor,but it will also be working just as hard to develop strong Leadership from the Community in bringing about the "greening beneficial effects" as seen in the Humane Metropolis Baltimore Plan. In this way,a key needed element,namely "sustainability" will be a necessary part of this Developimng Healthy New Baltimore and its Healthy Neighborhoods.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA Harris Creek Watershed Project Coordinator

2009-07-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed Project is now underway. It covers an area about 1270 acres and 21 Neighborhoods. It drains from its high point in Clifton Park and empties into the Baltimore Harbor on Boston St at the Anchorage Tower. The Goal will be to reduce Trash (now about 5 tons per month) by implementing a Stormwater Plan that incorporates BMPs (Best Management Practices) preventing rain water from flushing Trash down the drains.

That is the good news. We have a Plan that will work. However,it is not as easy as that. It requires "working together" and engaging Stakeholders in the different Neighborhoods to help bring this about. To do so,it will be important to find out about other problems in the Neighborhoods that may throw Stormwater off their radar. Other Pollution Problems such as crime,violence,illegal drugs etc need to be part of the equation. The Harris Creek Watershed Project will only become successful if the Neighborhoods come together in a united way in implementing these BMPs.

Recently,Parks and People Foundation sponsored a Workshop on Humane Metropolis Baltimore and encougaed Neighborhoods to strive and become Green,Healthy,Safe,Efficient,Equitable and Neighborly to help in bringing about this degree of cooperation. To this was added Creativity,Artistic and Communicative to make this Effort more Sustainable. Thus oue Efforts need to consider these features and empower Stakeholders to utilize them in implementing the Best Management Practices. RDB BHWA

Information on the Harris Creek Watershed Plan

2009-06-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

For Blog Information on the Harris Creek Watershed and the Stormwater Plan being developed

can be found on http://RBahr.Blogspot.com/

Web Site for viewing the Harris Creek Watershed Blog

2009-06-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

This Blog on the Harris Creek Watershed and the Stormwater Plan being developed can be found on
http://RBahr.Blogspot.com/

Canton Hollow-The Gateway to Baltimore Harbor

2009-06-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

June 14,2009 Flag Day

Canton Park In Historic Canton surrounds the body of water known as Canton Hollow or Canton Cove, as it is known today. If you were to look for photographs taken about 150 years ago,you woulf find schooners ansd sailships moored in this area awaiting their call to sail into the Baltimore Inner Harbor. This was a holding area. The Poet Folger McKinsey captured this in his Poem.

LOOK AWAY TO CANTON HOLLOW

Look away to Canton Hollow where the old-time freighters lie.
Federal Hill to Middle River as the hungry sea gulls fly;
Look away by Lazaretto and beyond Patapsco's tide
To the glowing fires of Steelton and the bay so blue and wide.

Look away to Canton Hollow where the barques and schooners rest
Where the sailormen are happy as they trut with swollen chest;
To the chandler ships and cantines and the rusty Old World spell
I that port of ships of dreaming that have so much to tell.

Look away to Canton Hollow,to the old things once so true
When the freighters from far oceans brought the skies of tropic blue
When the sailors and the masters and the plum duff and the pone
Came to Baltimore and became our Canton's own.

Folger McKinsey was also the Author of the Baltimore anthem that Mayor Donald Schaefer and crowd sang in 1980 to welcome the Pride of Baltimore from her first winter cruise.

Brochure for the Harris Creek Watershed (246)

2009-06-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

Brochure for the Harris Creek Watershed (246) with the addition of The Self Walking Tour around Historic Harris Creek.....the Creek that built the Constellation....the Creek that built the Park.......that built the Community of Canton. Let' Clean up the Trash from the Harris Creek Watershed. Ray Bahr MD BHWA

2009-06-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Historic Harris Creek in Canton Baltimore,Maryland 21224

Harris Creek no longer is visible,but it still lies under the area in Canton between the Safeway and the American Can Building and presents Tidal Flow from the Baltimore Harbor to Patterson Park. It has tremendous Historical Value in that the Boat Yards here were instrumental in building "wooden sailing boats" that became protective of our Young Nation.The Constellation,many Clipper Ships and the Monitor came out of these Yards. Even though Harris Creek is no longer visible,we should be quite Proud of this Historic Sight.

It is with this Thought in mind that we are undertaking the Harris Creek Watershed Project which is designed as a Stormwater Management Strategy to Clean up the Trash and Pollution coming from the 20 Neighborhoods in this Watershed. The Plan is to engage the Stakeholders in these Neighborhoods to put into place Best Management Practices to reduce Stormwater runoff as well as to Educate citizens to reduce Trash and Pollution on the streets. It is a long term Process that we will begin to carry out. The Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association will be joined in this Effort by the Department of Public Works,the Parks and People Foundation and the Center for Watershed Protection. Training sessions,Workshops,Touring the Watershed etc will soon be taking place. The End Product will be a Stormwater Watershed Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.

In order to promote this Effort in Canton, the Base of this Watershed,a Brochure has been prepared that explains the History of this Area and the past location of this Creek with a Walking Tour highlightening the Historic Points of Interest. These Brochures have now been distributed to the majority of Businesses in the Canton Area in an attempt to create Awareness of the Historic Harris Creek in the past and to show the Need to prevent Trash from the Watershed going into the Baltimore Harbor.

The Brochures were packed 50 at a time into an attractive plastic holder and offered to all the Businesses in the Canton Area (O'Donnell Square, American Can Complex,Lighthouse Point,Captain James,Sip and Bite,Brewer's Hill,Dockside,Della Rose,Bay Cafe,Bo Brooks etc Surprisingly,every one of the Businesses welcomed the Brochure on the History of Harris Creek,the Self Walking Tour and the Information on the Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project. It is hope that this Free Exchange will provide future volunteers and needed contributions to carry this Watershed Project to a Successful Conclusion. Ray Bahr MD BHWA

The Project has been presented to the Board and the Public Meeting of the Canton Community Association and will be presented next month to the O'Donnell Street Businesses.

2009-05-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

Historic Harris Creek Walking Tour began today. It is Free and Directions are contained in this Brochure. It's Purpose is to draw your Attention to the need to Preserve Harris Creek which is being ruined from the Trash and Pollution from the Harris Creek 1200 acres Watershed that serves 20 Neighborhoods from Canton to Cl;ifton Park. It is a Beautiful time of the year to take this Walk through Blossoming Canton Streets that now cover the Harris Creek. There is still Tidal Flow from the Harbor underneath. Daylightening this Creek is a Thought to Consider. Get out and enjow our Early Spring with a vigorous Walk,then stop in one of our famous Restaurants to finish it off. C:\Users\rdb60\Searches\watershed v4.search-ms

Cleaner Baltimore Harbor using the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Plan

2009-04-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

April 24,2009 Weekly Blog (fourth installment)

Friends of the Historic Harris Creek

The Board of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association met this week and discussed where we are in regards to the Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project. We had met with Mary Washington from Parks and People to discuss our initial approach to the 20 Neighborhoods within the 246 Watershed. It was decided that Parks and People would put together a Tour of the 246 Watershed and invite Neighbors within it as well as Educational Personnel who would be available to start a discussion to get us started. This would be followed by a Questionnaire that would gather additional information. Training of the interviewers would be carried out by Parks and People. This would be a work in progress until it could be determind when to conduct several Workshops on the Harris Creek Watershed Project. Presently,we are waiting for the Tour to be set up.

We have also met with Paul Sturm and the Center for Watershed Protection for their expected input to the 246 Project. We have reviewed the recently completed Trash Assessment Project that CWP carried out on the 246 Watershed. This data will be added to the 246 Project and the CWP will work closely with Parks and People in the Workshops to scope out the Project and help in the writing of a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.

For more information on the Harris Creek Watershed Project,please visit the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association's web site www.Baltimorewaters.org Ray Bahr MD Coordinator HCWSP

Cleaner Baltimore Harbor using the Harris Creek Watershed Plan

2009-04-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

Clean Baltimore Harbor

2009-04-18T19:27:00.000-07:00

Blog No.3 Harris Creek Watershed (246) Stormwater Project

The Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association (BHWA) is now working with Parks and People an initial strategy to engage neighborhoods within the Watershed. Planned is a Bus Tour that will include representatives in these neighborhoods that will attempt to share thoughts with them about problems that would interfere with implementing a Stormwater Plan. Filling out a Questionnaire will be past of this initial assessment. This Questionnaire is to be designed by Parks and People and will serve as an instrument that will help in planned workshops in the near future. Stakeholders in these various neighborhoods will be identified to build capacity in this Project. The Center for Watershed Protection will also contribute in scoping out the Project and developing a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed Project.
The next step is to reach agreemen between BHWA and Parks and Peolple as to how to set up the Bus Tour,the key people to be present and the development of a Comprehensive Questionnaire. Ray Bahr MD BHWA Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed Project 4/18/09